Collecting the rookie cards of baseball's postwar Hall of Famers is a favorite pursuit for many hobbyists. Incredibly, there are 412 collectors presently competing in this endeavor on PSA's Set Registry, each trying to grab high-end examples of the 99 cards required to complete this set of Cooperstown's finest. Offered here is one of those 99 special cards, a 1958 Topps #343 Orlando Cepeda rookie, in sparkling PSA 9 Mint condition, no less. Exhibiting four sharp corners, clean edges, and pack-fresh colors, this well-centered cardboard relic is every bit deserving of its lofty grade. One of just 22 examples to earn the Mint 9 mark, it is the highest graded specimen in existence.
In the rare occasion when a PSA 9 Cepeda rookie goes to market, the price guides need to be rewritten. The last such specimen to sell at auction sold for $5,200 in October, topping its Sports Market Report valuation by $950. Eagerly sought after by HOF collectors, 1958 Topps set enthuisiasts, and fans of Cepeda, this cross-pollination of hobbyists, if you will, ensures competition for mint copies of the Puerto Rico native's iconic rookie card will remain fierce well into the future. Nicknamed Cha Cha for his love of Latin rhythm and jazz, Cepeda is a hero not only to folks on his home island, but to San Francisco Giants fans around the globe. Securing this stellar PSA 9 card of this living legend is a major collecting accomplishment, as opportunities to purchase elite cards such as this are becoming more and more infrequent in today's investment-minded hobby.